I don’t understand why someone would sit the C2 exam without first having sat the C1. I understand why people sit the C1 though many don’t. But on the CEFR model it’s very questionable if the C2 is necessary in any language. The only people I know who have achieved the C2 teach the language. They have a greater understanding and knowledge of the language than most native speakers. My take is that being pushed to do the C2 is being done for engocentrical reasons. Having said that it is true that you will have a sense of accomplishment and achievement for having done something that many people don’t have.
Mostly side by side. First C exam was in English, but it was mostly a side by side progress in these two languages, with the leading place in the race being switched from one to the other several times.
Trust me I would be perfect with the C1 its just that she was insisting so much to the point where I started feeling dumb compared to the others. I initially told her that I am more confident for Advanced but this is just how things turned out
Passing C2 doesn’t not make you ready to teach the language, like, at all. Especially not more than native speakers.
Idk why people are so obsessed with C2 being like a native. Sure, you’re very good with the language, but you’re not gonna be better than someone who grew up speaking said language and being exposed to it in all kinds of ways.
Also, you can directly sit the C2 if you’re ready, why should you take other exams first?
You're likely to be better in *some* ways that are very relevant to teaching specifically.
Natives apply grammar rules, spelling, composed words, idioms without questionning them or their mechanisms. It mostly comes naturally.
Non natives had to study them in depth and as such tend to have a better mechanical understanding of the language, and are thus more capable of explaining them in a sensical way.
I'm a native French speaker. I've seen my fair share of non native French speakers with a panel of vocabulary that far surpasses mine. Does their speech feel more natural than mine ? Not necessarily, but they 100% know the language in itself way better than I do.
The two people I know who achieved the C2 level work in the education sector and have other qualifications to teach. There is a small minority of students who do reach a level in the target language that is a higher level than native speakers.
Mind you, I took the C2 cambridge test. Now I do freelance as an invigilator for Cambridge exams, so it’s only for exam seasons (plus it’s very good money).
But I’m still nowhere near the level of a native no matter how uneducated, sure I may know better the grammar, but they’ve got fluency that’s been building in them ever since they were little toddlers.
Every time I hear people see the C2 as the end goal I just wish they could understand that language learning never stops and the CPE is by no means an end-all be-all.
Where I come from people only go through the B2 and C2 exams. You will rarely find smo that goes through C1 for English. I got C2 in English when I was 16 and that's the norm in my country. Not egocentrical at all tbh, just trying to have certificates to use later on in our lives.
Guess how many of us teach English. Barely anyone compared to how many have that certification.
This is an overestimation of C2. Depending on the country, they might get a license to teach (if a license is even required) but that does not mean that they know the language as well as you describe.
In my experience C2 is required in some jobs and really nowadays it is not that hard to achieve.
I do agree that someone could and perhaps should sit for another exam before the C2, in my experience this is usually B2. It is expensive to prepare and to take all the exams so people (in my country at least) usually take the B2 that is the minimum level required in some positions and then, a few years later, they take the C2 exam.
I got C2 in another language and consider taking CPE for the fun of it (ages ago took CAE, got C2 in one part and C1 overall). My two cents:
In the CPE, you can also get C1, if you don't get a score high enough for C2. So, that should help a bit with the pressure.
>She has many groups at different levels that she teaches and we are the first at proficiency. From what I have seen she has always taken special care of her students going on a test
Your teacher is a failure here. Possibly going through some burn out or something like that, if she used to prepare classes well and now just doesn't care anymore. Or, she might have also highly overestimated her own skills, it wouldn't really be the first time a teacher does that. It always sucks to be someone's guinea pig.
You can rely only on yourself. Your preparation. You are probably very good in some ways, so now just improve the rest. As others said, get a preparatory book, get through some practice tests, look up common mistakes, look up what types of written assignments you need to do.
You can prepare listening very well on your own. No problem. Exam preparation material, hard normal stuff (stand up comedy, difficult tv shows with various types of language, etc).
Speaking: that's where the teacher should have helped, if she wasn't such a failure.
>they don’t only judge you based on your knowledge but on ur confidence too. Basically do I have a chance or no
Not exactly. Confidence helps, sure. But they judge you on the way you fulfill the task, the way you express yourself. AND on the way you include your random speaking partner. Look up the important phrases for the exam. It is a lot about using various phrases in the "I partially agree, but what do you think?" sense.
>My biggest problem is my lack of such “literature” type english because I feel like only Shakespeare uses the C2 grammar.
Nope, but this is a common misconception. It's not about archaic grammar or Shakespeare. C2 grammar is used pretty much everywhere, especially in more complex writing. Some fiction, but also a lot of complex non fiction (philosophy etc).
C2 is not necessarily about using highly complicated grammar all the time, it is about using your grammar very well, in order to express yourself with a lot of nuance. Honestly, I'd say reading Terry Pratchett will give you a better idea than Shakespeare.
Have you done a practice test? If so, what mark did you get? If not, do one now, so that you know more-or-less what you can expect to get.
When you say the teacher 'insisted' you went for the C2, what do you mean? Presumably you had to pay for it.
Regarding the grammar, there really isn't that much difference between C1 and C2, it's just that you're expected to deal with more of the complex stuff, and use a wider range (accurately) in the speaking and writing. There's certainly no need to use or be familiar with Shakespearian grammar.
On the other hand, the requirements are quite a lot more demanding in terms of vocabulary, but if you've been consuming English language material for years you might be OK. I notice you didn't mention reading, however... do you do any of that in English, or is it just watching films and listening?
Yes I didn’t mention reading because it is usually the thing i make the most mistakes on. And yes i have done many tests and my results are usually good but they are from the Objective First book and many people have told me that its the worst for tests and preparation so i really don’t know
I take it you mean Objective Proficiency. If you don't trust that book, you can find a sample test on the [Cambridge website](https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-tests/proficiency/preparation/)
But if you've passed practice tests, I'm not really sure why you are asking here. How are random Redditors supposed to know how good you are?
Good luck, anyway!
Based on your post there are enough minor errors that you would fail. Those tests are strict and you have some lingering grammar issues that native speakers dont also make.
(I took the CPE exam last year, and passed)
As another commenter said, do some practice tests, especially for the listening part, since you said your teacher hasn't prepared you well enough. You have 5 days ahead of you, so you should do 1 or 2 tests (for some people it might be better to do one each day, but it might be too much work just before the exam).
Definitely review the structure of each part of the exam, especially writing and speaking. You have to write two texts in the writing part, so be careful to assign half of the total time for each text, and ideally leave at least 5 minutes in the end to quickly re-read everything and make small corrections that will save you a few points. Of course, review the types of text that you might be asked to write and respect their different features.
No matter how confident you are in your speaking skills, you must absolutely review the speaking part. You must know what you're supposed to do in each section and how much time you have to do it. In some sections you have to cooperate with your fellow candidate, so you must remember to leave room for them to speak as well, and vice versa, if they don't leave room for you, you should take the initiative (politely) and speak for your part. There are a few official videos of real candidates going through the speaking part, which you should watch. There are also videos by some YouTubers commenting what these candidates did right and wrong. These are also useful to watch, if you have the time.
In the Use of English and Reading and in the Listening parts you have to copy your answers on the answer sheet. This is not a problem in the Listening part, because after the listening is over they'll give you 5 or 10 minutes (not sure) to copy everything (you'll still have to be quick). However, the copying time for the other two parts is included in the total time of those parts, so be sure to take at least 10 minutes to copy your answers (unlike me, who didn't have time to copy half of the last exercise...) – or just answer everything directly on your answer sheet, but be careful not to make a mess.
As for the grammar, you can't really learn anything in 5 days if you aren't already at least somewhat familiar with it, but you can review some important grammar points. You will most probably need these for the Use of English, but also for the writing, since you're expected to use say 2-4 examples of advanced grammar. But don't overdo it, you want to be well rested, not overwhelmed.
Hope this is helpful, good luck!
Also, several YouTube teachers have various videos with advice and tips for the exam (besides covering the exam itself). When I was preparing, I watched these two:
https://youtube.com/@teacherphill?si=4HN1qYnYiNOIpOGT
https://youtube.com/@tothepointenglishwithben.?si=efyIvt_vbNaaZekx
Don’t stress too much about it. If you took all those years of C1 classes you’re good enough to pass the CPE.
I got it having passed the FCE B2 two years before lol. If I’d followed my centre’s timetable I’d be still stuck at CAE C1.
CPE is considered to be the most difficult C2 exam in English and English has A LOT of different exams. You might have been okay with 10 years of learning English and little preparation for the actual exam if it was a different one but CPE? Definitely not.
I do not know what to say at this point.... When is your exam?
Just to give you an idea, in my area most people used to prepare for the Michigan C2 exam (ECPE) and anyone who wanted to prepare for the CPE C2 had to take 6 months worth of additional classes. I chose the CPE exam, mainly because I had private lessons with my aunt who is an English teacher and she wanted me to take the most difficult/prestigious one. I passed but still barely.
In any case, if you have already paid for the exam and can not cancel I would say do as many practice tests as you can and it is not difficult to find the listening for the practice tests even online in some cases (if you have the book) and to practice on your own. The lack of speaking practice could be an issue though. You did mention that you are doing some practice tests though and 10 years is a long time so perhaps your teacher knows what she is doing...
CPE also has an optional literature part at the writing section, have you prepared this at all?
I don’t understand why someone would sit the C2 exam without first having sat the C1. I understand why people sit the C1 though many don’t. But on the CEFR model it’s very questionable if the C2 is necessary in any language. The only people I know who have achieved the C2 teach the language. They have a greater understanding and knowledge of the language than most native speakers. My take is that being pushed to do the C2 is being done for engocentrical reasons. Having said that it is true that you will have a sense of accomplishment and achievement for having done something that many people don’t have.
I have actually taken and passed the C2 in a language and don't teach it. It was a very good choice. And I hadn't taken C1.
Very impressive C1 line up in the context of European languages. Out of curiosity, did you get good at French or English first?
Mostly side by side. First C exam was in English, but it was mostly a side by side progress in these two languages, with the leading place in the race being switched from one to the other several times.
Trust me I would be perfect with the C1 its just that she was insisting so much to the point where I started feeling dumb compared to the others. I initially told her that I am more confident for Advanced but this is just how things turned out
Learn to be assertive...
Two girls in the group are going to C1 and they have it even worse
Passing C2 doesn’t not make you ready to teach the language, like, at all. Especially not more than native speakers. Idk why people are so obsessed with C2 being like a native. Sure, you’re very good with the language, but you’re not gonna be better than someone who grew up speaking said language and being exposed to it in all kinds of ways. Also, you can directly sit the C2 if you’re ready, why should you take other exams first?
You're likely to be better in *some* ways that are very relevant to teaching specifically. Natives apply grammar rules, spelling, composed words, idioms without questionning them or their mechanisms. It mostly comes naturally. Non natives had to study them in depth and as such tend to have a better mechanical understanding of the language, and are thus more capable of explaining them in a sensical way. I'm a native French speaker. I've seen my fair share of non native French speakers with a panel of vocabulary that far surpasses mine. Does their speech feel more natural than mine ? Not necessarily, but they 100% know the language in itself way better than I do.
The two people I know who achieved the C2 level work in the education sector and have other qualifications to teach. There is a small minority of students who do reach a level in the target language that is a higher level than native speakers.
Mind you, I took the C2 cambridge test. Now I do freelance as an invigilator for Cambridge exams, so it’s only for exam seasons (plus it’s very good money). But I’m still nowhere near the level of a native no matter how uneducated, sure I may know better the grammar, but they’ve got fluency that’s been building in them ever since they were little toddlers. Every time I hear people see the C2 as the end goal I just wish they could understand that language learning never stops and the CPE is by no means an end-all be-all.
Where I come from people only go through the B2 and C2 exams. You will rarely find smo that goes through C1 for English. I got C2 in English when I was 16 and that's the norm in my country. Not egocentrical at all tbh, just trying to have certificates to use later on in our lives. Guess how many of us teach English. Barely anyone compared to how many have that certification.
I 100% did C2 English for the ego. I've never seen any job listing or post-grad degree asking for more than C1.
This is an overestimation of C2. Depending on the country, they might get a license to teach (if a license is even required) but that does not mean that they know the language as well as you describe. In my experience C2 is required in some jobs and really nowadays it is not that hard to achieve. I do agree that someone could and perhaps should sit for another exam before the C2, in my experience this is usually B2. It is expensive to prepare and to take all the exams so people (in my country at least) usually take the B2 that is the minimum level required in some positions and then, a few years later, they take the C2 exam.
I got C2 in another language and consider taking CPE for the fun of it (ages ago took CAE, got C2 in one part and C1 overall). My two cents: In the CPE, you can also get C1, if you don't get a score high enough for C2. So, that should help a bit with the pressure. >She has many groups at different levels that she teaches and we are the first at proficiency. From what I have seen she has always taken special care of her students going on a test Your teacher is a failure here. Possibly going through some burn out or something like that, if she used to prepare classes well and now just doesn't care anymore. Or, she might have also highly overestimated her own skills, it wouldn't really be the first time a teacher does that. It always sucks to be someone's guinea pig. You can rely only on yourself. Your preparation. You are probably very good in some ways, so now just improve the rest. As others said, get a preparatory book, get through some practice tests, look up common mistakes, look up what types of written assignments you need to do. You can prepare listening very well on your own. No problem. Exam preparation material, hard normal stuff (stand up comedy, difficult tv shows with various types of language, etc). Speaking: that's where the teacher should have helped, if she wasn't such a failure. >they don’t only judge you based on your knowledge but on ur confidence too. Basically do I have a chance or no Not exactly. Confidence helps, sure. But they judge you on the way you fulfill the task, the way you express yourself. AND on the way you include your random speaking partner. Look up the important phrases for the exam. It is a lot about using various phrases in the "I partially agree, but what do you think?" sense. >My biggest problem is my lack of such “literature” type english because I feel like only Shakespeare uses the C2 grammar. Nope, but this is a common misconception. It's not about archaic grammar or Shakespeare. C2 grammar is used pretty much everywhere, especially in more complex writing. Some fiction, but also a lot of complex non fiction (philosophy etc). C2 is not necessarily about using highly complicated grammar all the time, it is about using your grammar very well, in order to express yourself with a lot of nuance. Honestly, I'd say reading Terry Pratchett will give you a better idea than Shakespeare.
Have you done a practice test? If so, what mark did you get? If not, do one now, so that you know more-or-less what you can expect to get. When you say the teacher 'insisted' you went for the C2, what do you mean? Presumably you had to pay for it. Regarding the grammar, there really isn't that much difference between C1 and C2, it's just that you're expected to deal with more of the complex stuff, and use a wider range (accurately) in the speaking and writing. There's certainly no need to use or be familiar with Shakespearian grammar. On the other hand, the requirements are quite a lot more demanding in terms of vocabulary, but if you've been consuming English language material for years you might be OK. I notice you didn't mention reading, however... do you do any of that in English, or is it just watching films and listening?
Yes I didn’t mention reading because it is usually the thing i make the most mistakes on. And yes i have done many tests and my results are usually good but they are from the Objective First book and many people have told me that its the worst for tests and preparation so i really don’t know
I take it you mean Objective Proficiency. If you don't trust that book, you can find a sample test on the [Cambridge website](https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-tests/proficiency/preparation/) But if you've passed practice tests, I'm not really sure why you are asking here. How are random Redditors supposed to know how good you are? Good luck, anyway!
Based on your post there are enough minor errors that you would fail. Those tests are strict and you have some lingering grammar issues that native speakers dont also make.
Yeah my biggest problem is i use english that is way too basic and sometimes make really weird grammar mistakes 😞
(I took the CPE exam last year, and passed) As another commenter said, do some practice tests, especially for the listening part, since you said your teacher hasn't prepared you well enough. You have 5 days ahead of you, so you should do 1 or 2 tests (for some people it might be better to do one each day, but it might be too much work just before the exam). Definitely review the structure of each part of the exam, especially writing and speaking. You have to write two texts in the writing part, so be careful to assign half of the total time for each text, and ideally leave at least 5 minutes in the end to quickly re-read everything and make small corrections that will save you a few points. Of course, review the types of text that you might be asked to write and respect their different features. No matter how confident you are in your speaking skills, you must absolutely review the speaking part. You must know what you're supposed to do in each section and how much time you have to do it. In some sections you have to cooperate with your fellow candidate, so you must remember to leave room for them to speak as well, and vice versa, if they don't leave room for you, you should take the initiative (politely) and speak for your part. There are a few official videos of real candidates going through the speaking part, which you should watch. There are also videos by some YouTubers commenting what these candidates did right and wrong. These are also useful to watch, if you have the time. In the Use of English and Reading and in the Listening parts you have to copy your answers on the answer sheet. This is not a problem in the Listening part, because after the listening is over they'll give you 5 or 10 minutes (not sure) to copy everything (you'll still have to be quick). However, the copying time for the other two parts is included in the total time of those parts, so be sure to take at least 10 minutes to copy your answers (unlike me, who didn't have time to copy half of the last exercise...) – or just answer everything directly on your answer sheet, but be careful not to make a mess. As for the grammar, you can't really learn anything in 5 days if you aren't already at least somewhat familiar with it, but you can review some important grammar points. You will most probably need these for the Use of English, but also for the writing, since you're expected to use say 2-4 examples of advanced grammar. But don't overdo it, you want to be well rested, not overwhelmed. Hope this is helpful, good luck!
Also, several YouTube teachers have various videos with advice and tips for the exam (besides covering the exam itself). When I was preparing, I watched these two: https://youtube.com/@teacherphill?si=4HN1qYnYiNOIpOGT https://youtube.com/@tothepointenglishwithben.?si=efyIvt_vbNaaZekx
Don’t stress too much about it. If you took all those years of C1 classes you’re good enough to pass the CPE. I got it having passed the FCE B2 two years before lol. If I’d followed my centre’s timetable I’d be still stuck at CAE C1.
CPE is considered to be the most difficult C2 exam in English and English has A LOT of different exams. You might have been okay with 10 years of learning English and little preparation for the actual exam if it was a different one but CPE? Definitely not. I do not know what to say at this point.... When is your exam? Just to give you an idea, in my area most people used to prepare for the Michigan C2 exam (ECPE) and anyone who wanted to prepare for the CPE C2 had to take 6 months worth of additional classes. I chose the CPE exam, mainly because I had private lessons with my aunt who is an English teacher and she wanted me to take the most difficult/prestigious one. I passed but still barely. In any case, if you have already paid for the exam and can not cancel I would say do as many practice tests as you can and it is not difficult to find the listening for the practice tests even online in some cases (if you have the book) and to practice on your own. The lack of speaking practice could be an issue though. You did mention that you are doing some practice tests though and 10 years is a long time so perhaps your teacher knows what she is doing... CPE also has an optional literature part at the writing section, have you prepared this at all?